3 Traps to Avoid When Shopping at Dollar Stores

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Love dollar stores? Read on to see what pitfalls you’ll want to steer clear of when shopping at one. 

No matter which part of the country you live in, chances are, there’s a dollar store nearby. Dollar General alone has close to 20,000 stores across the U.S.

If your goal is to boost your savings account this year, then it could pay to shop at dollar stores regularly for the discounts involved. But you should also make a point to steer clear of these traps when shopping at dollar stores.

1. Assuming you’ll get the lowest price

Dollar stores, as their name suggests, commonly price items around the $1 mark. But that doesn’t mean you can’t find a lower price elsewhere.

Let’s say you’re buying party favors for an upcoming event. You might score a set of four party bag stuffers for $1 at a dollar store. But Amazon might have a bulk pack of 30 of them for $4.99, which is actually a better deal.

Before you scoop up items from your nearby dollar store, spend a little time comparing prices, especially if you’re buying a lot of the same item. You may find that another retailer has a better deal on a bulk pack of the item you’re interested in.

2. Not checking expiration dates on food items

It’s a big myth that dollar store food is low quality. Often, the food products you’ll see on dollar store shelves are made by the same companies whose products you consume regularly.

That said, one pitfall you might encounter when buying groceries at your local dollar store is having a more narrow expiration window. So before you add food items to your shopping cart, check to see when they expire. If you’re looking at buying three boxes of cereal, all of which have an expiration date within a week, you may want to either pass or only pick up one box.

Keep in mind, though, that there can be some wiggle room with expiration dates for packaged goods. Let’s say your child’s favorite cookies, which normally result in a $2.99 credit card tab at the supermarket, are available for around $1 but expire in five days. Chances are, they’ll still be okay a few weeks after the date printed on the box (or worst case, you could always help yourself to a few cookies to ensure that they don’t go to waste).

3. Assuming you’ll find everything on your list

There’s nothing wrong with shopping at the dollar store when you need packaged food, cleaning products, or crafting supplies. But you can’t assume you’ll find everything you need in one fell swoop.

The inventory you’ll find at your local dollar store may not be nearly as consistent as it is at your local grocery or big-box store. So if you’re on a tight deadline, you may want to budget extra time to stop at another store after you’ve hit the dollar store.

Shopping at dollar stores can easily save you money, especially if you do so frequently. But make sure to avoid these traps as best as you can so you don’t waste money or wind up without the products you really need.

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The Ascent does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from The Ascent is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.John Mackey, former CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. Maurie Backman has positions in Amazon.com. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Amazon.com. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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